Destressing Disney – Traveling with a Group

Traveling with a group will require some extra planning and flexibility. Luckily Disney is truly a place for all ages and they are used to having large groups. There are some things to consider when booking your group vacation.

Migrating though Disney crowds with your own large crowd takes double the time. If you have never been or are seasoned travelers on a mission, keep this in mind. We managed by selecting meet up times and pairing Disneyphiles with non-Disneyphiles which made navigating the parks easier.

Dining reservations can be challenging for groups greater than 10. Disney is amazing and they will do everything they can to help, but you are going to struggle getting a Signature restaurant for a large crowd. Lunch reservations or dividing your group up can be a real lifesaver here. We usually had luck for a 1:30 or later lunch with our crew (8 adults). Another thing to keep in mind is, you may have to prioritize your dining if you are going with a big group – this means signing up for reservations right at the 7am EST on the 180 day mark (again, hit up the website for all your dining info including restaurants and menus), which means you get to plan your options ahead of time. We love this, it builds excitement for the trip to come! Also, Disney has several dinner show options and buffets which are a blast for all ages. The Spirit of Aloha dinner show is a family favorite – food is very good, dessert is even better, and it’s interactive.

Passholder Tip: If you are celebrating a birthday, this one is a must do for the birthday guest! Also consider buffets such as Boma (which is the best buffet on property IMO, breakfast or dinner) or a character dining buffet like Tusker House.

Fastpass+ usually aren’t a problem with large groups, which is great. Shows may require some earlier arrival to secure seats together but again this isn’t a huge deal.

Remember there are a lot of other options outside the parks as well – mini golf, Disney Springs, Disney’s Boardwalk, pools. These are great memories to make that also help you take a crowd break with your crew.

Passholder Tip: To help with hotel room proximity we would recommend calling Disney yourself or booking through a Disney travel agent (no cost to you!) who can help by grouping your hotel rooms. Everything else must be done online so we would recommend familiarizing yourself with the website, MyDisneyExperience or downloading the app prior to your booking deadlines. Don’t worry, once you make your vacation reservation, Disney will send you a helpful reminder card telling you when you can log in and book everything.

I hope you enjoyed our experiences and how to make Disney less stressful, happy travels!